Life Goes On
by Wyckedfire
Summary: Mai has secrets that flabbergast SPR. With new cases, her powers grow stronger, but her body weaker. Life for Mai is just not simple.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt.

XXX

_It was a stormy night. Wind howling and rain pouring was the sounds that dominated this horrid evening and in the middle of it was two people, a boy and girl. Trying to get home and out of the storm, they ran as fast as they could. They stopped at the beginning of a bridge, which was over a lake, when they saw the lights of a car. The taller of the two jogged a little further and started to wave his hands to get the drivers attention._

_ The driver, a middle age woman, was not paying attention. Instead she was frantic and driving fast to get out of the rain. Not seeing the male till the last moment, she slammed her foot on the brakes with as much force as she could muster. All her efforts were for not, since there was so much water on the bridge, her tires slid and her car began to turn. The woman's eyes widened with panic and her mouth opened with a silent scream as she came closer to the boy. _

_ The girl, on the other, was running to get the boy out of harms way. See the car spin out of control, she froze for second then jumped into action. Running as fast as she could and all the while screaming at the boy to move, was too late. The car slammed into the boy, crushing his body into the railing of the bridge. With the momentum of the car, the side of the bridge started to crack and crumble into the lake. To the girl's horror, the boy and the car fell into the lake. She banged herself at the railing, franticly searching the dark depths bellow for a sign of the boy. When seeing none, she fell to her knees, shacking and crying. She looked up into the night and screamed._

"_GENE!"_

_XXX_

Mai woke up with a start. Her eyes were wide and chest heaving. She rested her shacking hand by her heart and started to do some breathing exercises to calm herself.

" Calm down Mai. It's just a dream… It's just a dream."

She chants to herself as she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Opening her eyes, she sits up and moves her knees to her chest. Running her hand through her hair, she thinks about the dream.

It's not every night that she has the dream, but when she does, it's mind numbing and leaves her distraught. That night she remembers with such clarity, considering it was not just a dream but also a memory. She knew Eugene Davis. She met him at a Shinto Shrine and they became best friends, even having a sibling relationship. He stayed with her, telling her stories about his brother, Oliver, and his parents, Martin and Luella, in England, his teacher Madoka and her crazy training, and his silent guardian, Lin. She could tell that he missed them, but felt like seeing the world and what it had to offer.

He taught her English and helped her with her studies. He helped her with understanding parapsychology and the powers that go along with it. After going on some jobs, they found out she had latent ESP, which is extra-sensory perception. She was able to have visions about the cases and with them, help the spirits rest. Her astral projection still needs some work on, but the real kicker was her regeneration power. They found that one out when a vengeful spirit raked its claws down her back and when Gene went to bandage them, the gauges weren't there.

With that thought, she looked around her room and her eyes landed on the body laying on a futon incased in a clear, shimmering barrier. The body was badly bruised and some bones were broken.

_Gene_

The barrier was her regeneration power. After snapping herself out of her funk, she quickly jumped into the lake and was able to get Gene and even get the lady out of her car and out of the water. Come to find out, the woman was going to the house Gene and she just left from. The lady was Yuuki, and she help Mai carry Gene back to her house and in the morning drove them to Mai's apartment. Yuuki wanted to take Gene to the hospital but Mai was able to convince her not too. Mai's abilities were free considering; she couldn't pay off medical bills. And ever since, Gene has been under the barrier in a force coma to heal his body, but Mai still talks to him. After all he is her dream guide.

Coming back to the present, she looked at her clock. Seeing 4:00 am in bright red numbers irritated her eyes and she let out a sigh.

_Great, no sleeping now. Might as well get ready._

Mai through off her covers and went to the bathroom. She stood in front of the mirror and looked at her reflection. When Mail meet Eugene, she was fourteen and skinny as a stick. Nothing much for a bust and no hips. Now two years later, she grew into herself, with a figure that was athletic but womanly as well.

_Has it really been years? Two years since the crash…two years since Naru came here?_

Coming back to the present with a shake, a coughing fit came over her. Opening her eyes, she felt wetness in her hand. Looking down she saw red. Blood. Her sickness was acting up. With most of her regeneration powers healing Gene, her Tuberculosis was coming back. Mai never knew she had it, considering her healing powers always took it away before any sign would come up. Nobody knew about it and that's the way she waned it. She didn't need any of her family worrying about her. Once Gene's body was complete healed, her generation powers would come back and everything would be back to normal. Rinsing off her blood stained hand and spitting and rinsing out the blood in her mouth, she was ready to start the morning.

After taking off her sweat-covered clothes, she went into the shower and cleaning herself with her favorite peppermint shampoo and soap. Shutting off the water and drying herself, she put the towel around her body and went into her room and got dressed. She put on a simple shirt with flowers and some shorts, making sure her luck key was with her, and with one last look at Gene, she went into the kitchen and made breakfast.

Seeing the time being five and Naru wanting her at work at seven, she eat quickly, wanting time to water her garden. Getting her bag and keys, she hurried to her door and looked back.

"See ya later Gene." She said to a quite home.

One thing good about living on the top floor was the access to the top of the building. When she open the door to the outside, even though it was still dark, on the horizon was the light of day and though it barley lit the sky, the wonders of the garden was a clear as day. This garden was the joy in Mai's life. Flowers of many colors and sizes, small bushes and trees lined the makeshift green house immersing the person in a tropical paradise right in the middle of Japan.

Mai smiled and took the watering can. Going along the rows, she hummed a song she recently heard on the radio while she watered her plants. Putting the watering can down, she looked over her garden with awe as the sun finally made its appearance and light streamed into her little heaven. Closing her eyes, she basked in the warmth of her garden and sighed in content. Wishing she could stay a little longer, she got her bag and headed out the door.

_No point being late and having Naru be on my back. The jerk._

XXX

Luck was on her side when she got to Shibuya Psychic Research, or SPR, thirty minutes early. Knowing that Naru and Lin was already inside, she went up the stairs and went into the building. Not even a foot in the door her boss spoke up.

"Mai. Tea."

With no need to reply, she put her bag on her desk and walked into the kitchen. Putting the kettle on the stove, she got her special tea leaves and three teacups on the counter. Not having to wait long on the water, she quickly made the tea and set them on a tray. Making sure everything was set, she carefully picked up the tray and walked over to Lin's office and knocked.

"Lin-san, I have your tea."

"Come in Taniyama-san."

Balancing the try on one hand, she opened the door with the other. Lin's office was filled with cabinets with files and in the middle of the office was Lin typing on his computer. Setting the tray on his desk, she put his tea by the keyboard.

"Here you go Lin-san, enjoy. Is there anything else I can get you?"

Lin looked up from his screen and set his grey eye on the girl in front of him with indifference. He stopped typing and picked up some files.

"I have no need for anything else Taniyama-san, but Naru needs these files typed up."

Mai sighed and picked them up and put them under her arm.

"Thanks Lin-san."

Lin nodded his head and went make to typing and ignoring her. Mai picked up the tray and walked out of the room and closed the door quietly. Walking to the next office, she knocks again.

"Naru, I have your-"

"Enter."

Mai huffed and open the door. Walking briskly to the desk, she puts the tea down and stares at Naru. He looks just like Gene. The same black hair and grey/blue eyes, but the difference is that Naru's eyes are hard and filled with sadness, if you were lucky to get close enough to see it. He was handsome no doubt about it and held himself with elegance and he knew it and was not shy about it.

"I know I'm handsome Mai, but you need to stop staring and start working. These files won't type themselves."

Taking the tray, she sharply turned around and went to the door all the time mumbling to herself.

"Narcissistic jerk, can't even say thank you. Stupid. Why do I even bother?"

"Stop having a tantrum and get ready. We have a client coming." Naru didn't even look up from the computer to spare her a glance. Mai glared and grumbled her way out and slammed his door in retaliation. Naru glanced up and shook his head.

Mai quickly placed her tea and the files on her desk and went to the kitchen to set down the tray. Going back to her desk, she sat down a sipped her tea and savored the flavor. This was the tea she made from her garden and one of Naru's favorite. She smiled at this thought. Even though he could be a jerk and a narcissistic, she still loved him. He was handsome, but that was just the cherry on top. He saved her many a time in cases and yelled at her for being stupid afterwards, it was just his special way for telling her he was scared. With having met Gene, she knew that Shibuya Kazuya was just a cover and his real name was Oliver Davis. She also knew why he was here. He thought her too dumb to understand why he had all these maps laying around and why he wore black. He thought his brother was dead at the bottom of a lake.

Mai cringed, she didn't like lying, in fact she hated it, but Gene wanted to surprise him and Mai couldn't let him down. She started coughing again and she quickly ran to the bathroom to cover her noise and wash up the blood.

_Heal quickly Gene. I don't know how much I can take of this._


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt

XXX

Ghosts. These are undead persons or animals that manifest themselves in the living world. No matter where you go, ghosts are in every culture. In Japan, Yūrei, are spirits held from a peaceful afterlife. Ancient Near East and Egypt believe that ghosts are created at time of death that have the memory and personality of the deceased. Medieval Europe has two categories: souls and demons. Souls are dead with a purpose and demons are only here to torment and tempt the living. (1)

There are different types of ghost. Shadow ghosts, as you can tell from the name, are ghosts that appear as a shadow. They are sneaky and evasive and are usually spotted in the corner of your eye or darting through a wall.

Apparitions are transparent human forms that are wearing the clothing of their period. They appear faint and disfigured as if incomplete.

Ghost lights are balls that glow in darkness that are often called will-o'-wisps and jack-o'-lanterns. Will-o'-wisps are known as a death omen and jack-o'-lanterns are said to be the souls that have been shut out of heaven and hell and must roam the earth forever. Others believe that ghost lights are playful beings that lead unexpected travelers into darkness. (2)

Evil spirits, or demons, are largely known for the power to posse people.

Poltergeists are ghosts that responsible for physical disturbance such as load noises and objects being moved or destroyed. (1)

Because of ghosts, SPR is in business. SPR are ghost hunters that go on cases that appeal to the boss, Shibuya Kazuya. Kazuya is a very adept researcher with a library of knowledge of ghosts in his brain. He uses technology, such as cameras and microphones, to capture and study paranormal activity. His assistant Lin and him use reasoning instead of spirituality to find ghosts even though both have powers.

Kazuya is a strong psychometrist (able to discover facts just by touching an object) and has amazing PK (ability to move objects with just thought). He has so much power that it is very dangerous for him to use, so harmful that when he uses them, it can lead to hospitalization. Without his brother, Eugene, to 'bounce' the PK between them, Kazuya barley ever uses his power.

Lin, Kazuya's Chinese assistant, is a strong onmyoji with wide range of skills from exorcisms and summoning spirits. With being the guardian of Kazuya, Lin has one of his shiki, familiars; follow him for protection and a kind of GPS when Kazuya has one of his episodes.

When they have a case, it's not just them two. They have associates.

Takigawa Houshou, Bou-san, is a powerful Buddhist monk from a family owned temple in Mt. Koya. Though he is a monk, his real job is a musician. He plays base in a band.

Matsuzaki Ayako is a Shinto priestess, a miko with a special relationship with trees, who performs exorcisms. Her exorcisms only work with 'living' trees, so most of the time, her exorcisms fail. When she is not 'exorcising', she is a doctor in a general hospital.

Hara Masako, a medium with the gift to see and channel spirits. Naru doesn't think of her as a 'perfect' medium. When posses, she speaks in Japanese, no matter if the spirit is Japanese or not. The only 'perfect' medium Naru knew was Gene. She has a TV show that made her a famous star.

John Brown, an Australian catholic priest that exorcises spirits with holy water and reciting from the Bible. His exorcisms only work on spirits that fear God.

Yasuhara Osamu, though he doesn't have powers, still has a vital spot in SPR. An intelligent student with a knack for research, he is often called upon from Naru to look up history and sometimes disguise himself as Naru on cases when Naru doesn't want to be known. (3)

And, of course, there is Taniyama Mai and this is her story.

XXX

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that attacks the lungs. The symptoms are fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, fever, coughing up blood, and night sweats. (4) But there is a solution with medicine. Since Mai didn't have money for this medicine, she made do with home remedies that she made from her garden. Most of the time she has the loss of appetite, the coughing of blood, and night sweats, but that can also be because of her dreams.

With having a little of her healing powers, she is able to keep the sickness contained so none of her family can get it. She thanks Kami-sama everyday for that.

Having cleaned up the bathroom, she went back to her desk and got to work. She hated typing up the files. It was so boring and dull. It was quite and all she could hear was typing from Lin's and Naru's office. Naru didn't allow her to have music on to listen to, so when he called for tea she would hear him.

Picking up the first file, she started inputting it in the SPR data system.

_This is going to be a long day._

XXX

Around ten is when the clients made their appearance. It was a women and child. The mother looked tired and scared with bags under brown eyes and her black hair a mess. The child had to be around four with innocent brown eyes and short brown hair. He looked around nervously and then looked up to his mother for assurance. The mother looked down at her son and gave him a weak smile and gently ushered him along.

Mai quickly got up and walked in front of her desk and bowed.

"Good morning! I'm Taniyama Mai, how can I help you?" Mai said with a smile, subconsciously easing the mother and son.

The mother closed the door and bowed. "Good morning Taniyama-san. I'm Nakamura Kumiko, and this is my son, Akio. I talked to Shibuya-san on the phone. I believe you're expecting us."

Mai's eyes lit up with recognition. "Ah, yes, right this way." She started walking over to the next room. This room was a calming green with two couches that could fit three people and one that could sit two. In between the couches was a table with a flower vase.

Turning around, Mai gestured for the two to sit down. "If you would please sit down Nakamura-san, I'll go get Shibuya-san for you."

Kumiko nodded, picked up Akio and moved over to the couches and sat down with Akio on her lap. The way Kumiko was holding Akio reminded Mai of someone holding onto a lifeline. Giving them a final look, Mai headed over to Naru's door.

"Naru, the clients are here."

"I heard them Mai, I'm not deaf. Make me tea." Naru said through the door. "I'll be right out."

Mai scrunched up her face and stuck her tongue at the door. Huffing, she mumbled about tea addicts and went to Lin's door.

"Lin-san, we have a client." Without waiting for an answer, Mai walked back to the client and asked if they would like anything.

"Water would be fine Taniyama-san," Kumiko looked to her son," What would you like Akio-chan?"

Akio looked to his mom with his big brown eyes and then to Mai, "Juice?"

Mai held onto a squeal when she heard his cute voice and smiled, "Of course, sweetie, is apple good for you?" The boy blushed and nodded his head.

"Ok, I'll be right back." By the time the tea was ready and all the drinks on the tray, Naru and Lin were sitting on the couches, Lin with his computer and Naru looking impatient.

Mai handed Naru and Lin their tea and walked over to Kumiko and handed her, her water. Bending down, she handed Akio his juice box. "Here you go honey."

Akio took his juice and thanked her, then attacked it with thirst. Giggling to herself, she walked to the couch Naru was sitting on and sat down.

With a click, Naru set his teacup on the table and set his glaze on the women in front of him. "Now, Nakamura-san, state your case." Mai sharply looked at Naru for his rudeness. Naru ignored her like usual.

Kumiko quickly sipped her water and started fidgeting with her hands and held tightly to her son. With tired eyes and shaky breath she started, "It started when we-my husband, Akio, and I- moved into our new house. We would hear noises at night. In the beginning it was small, like knocks on doors and clicking of silverware, but it started to get worse. Loud banging on the walls and the screams-,"she started to panic. "Oh Kami, the screams! So load!"

Kumiko started to cry. Mai quickly got up and went over to her and handed her some tissues. Mai sat down by her and quietly rubbed her back. Akio looked up at his mother and hugged her fiercely. "Is mama ok?"

"I'm ok sweet, mama's ok." She held his face and kissed him on his forehead.

All the while, Lin kept on typing and Naru looked irritated and annoyed. He didn't like crying, it bothered him, plus this case didn't interest him. This was textbook, a beginning case for amateurs. "I recommend, Nakamura-san, that you go somewhere else-"

"Naru!" Mai looked at him with surprise.

"Please! There's more." Kumiko spoke hastily. "There's been blood! Lots of it. So much blood. On the walls and floors. It looks like someone is being dragged. And that's not it. It has been physical with us. We will wake up with scratches and burn marks." She rolls up her sleeve to show a nasty burn and scratches. Mai puts her hands to her mouth and gasps.

"My poor baby has had the worst. Come on Akio, lift up your shirt." Kumiko helped him and turned him around to show Naru Akio's back. She took off one side of the bandages, letting them hang on the other side of his back. Naru narrowed his eyes. On the boy's back were third degree burns and deep gauges.

In the middle of his inspection, Mai started to cough in a tissue and excused herself. Naru glanced in the corner of his eye at her retreating figure. She has been coughing a lot lately and always running out of the room afterwards. He put this in the back of his mind to think about later. Getting back to the client, he made a decision.

"I will need three rooms, one for our base and two sleeping quarters. Expect us tomorrow."

Kumiko brightened and a smile filled her face. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Naru nodded his head and stood up." Mai will take your information down." With that said he walked back to his 'cave'. Seeing that the interview was done, Lin shut his computer, stood up, nodded to the client and left.

Mai came back when Kumiko was putting the bandages back on Akio's back. She marveled at the boy's strength, he didn't cry when the bandage came off, he just played with his mother's shirt.

"If you would follow me to my desk, I can get your info."

Kumiko walked over with Akio and she gave Mai everything. When all was done, Mai gave them a farewell. "Cya guys tomorrow, and here Akio, another juice box for the road cutie." Akio's hands held tightly to the box and quickly kissed Mai's cheek. Pink filled his cheeks and he rapidly looked away. "Cya wata, Mai-chan."

"Thank you again, Taniyama-san-"

"Mai, please."

Kumiko nodded," -Mai-san, thank you for taking it. I can't tell you how much this means to me, to my family."

"Don't worry about it, Naru is the best of the best. You are in good hands." And with that, Kumiko and Akio departed.

Sighing, she went back to the sitting area and started cleaning up. Picking up the used teacups, the water glass, and an empty juice box, she put them on the tray and headed to the kitchen. Throwing away the juice box and cleaning the glassware, she was finally able to get back to her desk.

Thinking about the wounds, she was worried about the boy.

_How horrid it must been to wake up to those. I hope we finish this case quickly. I don't want this happening to anyone else._

_Mai_

_Mai_

_What? Who's calling me?_

She was popped out of her thoughts by a poke on her forehead "Mai, I don't pay you for slacking. Call the others and tell them we have a case and here are more files for you to type." Naru was standing in front of her and glaring.

_Why do I like him again?_

"Geez Naru! Don't scare me like that!"

"If you weren't spacing out in that air-head of yours, you would have heard me." Naru stated on his way back to his office.

Mai glowered, "Whatever." She set her eyes on the phone and picked it up and was about to ring Bou-san when she was interrupted again.

"Oh, and Mai-"

Turning her head, she looked at him. "Yeah?"

"Tea." And the door closed.

Mai just stared at his door and fumed. "Why that son-of-a-bit-"

"Now Mai."

_How in the world?_

Huffing, she went to the kitchen. She might as well put her desk here. It seems that she resides most of the time here.

_What a day and it's not even noon._

XXX

(1)Wikipedia

(2)Ghost Study

(3)Ghost Hunt Wiki

(4)American Lung Association


End file.
